Pros and Cons About a New Diet Pill

Okay, the disclaimer first. I don't much believe in diet pills, and the Alli diet pill is no exception.That being said, I truly tried to review the available info on the new FDA approved weightloss product from GlaxoSmithKline. Considering my already biased opinion on the subject, I decided to adopt the approach of offering pros and cons about the new diet pill and letting readers judge for themselves.It didn't work!Here's the problem...well, let me tell you the pro's first.1. It is available over the counter without a prescription.2. Alli is an FDA approved nonprescription dosage of the well known fat loss pill, Xenical3. It does block absorption of some fats4. It can be used to help some people lose a small amount of weight5. It apparently works best if you are exercising regularly but have a lot of fat in your diet6. GlaxoSmithKline stock should go up because the diet pill market is huge and this stuff is flying off the shelves in some areas.Now, I tried to be fair, but I am sure you have already noticed a slightly unimpressed tone to the "positive" statements I listed above. Sorry, couldn't help it.Here's the negative side.1. The average weight loss with the Alli diet pill, which sells for about $59.95 a bottle, is about 1 pound a month.You could cut one sugar-sweetened soda a day and lose about the same amount while saving $30.00 or more depending on where you buy your sodas...or donuts...or double cheese hamburgers.2. If used with healthy eating habits and exercise (the basic core of any healthy weight loss program) it CAN increase weightloss by three pounds or so for each five pounds lost by the exercise and healthy eating.If you are losing five pounds a month with exercise and healthy eating, you probably DON'T NEED a diet pill that does strange things to your body. More on that in a minute.3. It works by blocking the absorption of fat. Three points here:--If you are already eating a low fat diet, there won't be much for it to do, hence, it won't do much for you.--Dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of certain vitamins vital to health. While the evidence is still out, there is some concern that blocking the fat may expose the user to health threatening vitamin deficiencies.--Omega 3 fatty acids (good for your heart) are blocked as well (bad for your heart).4. It works only WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE IT.When people quit taking the pill, they tended to gain back whatever weight they had lost. Simple! There was no lifestyle change involved. When you quit taking the pill and you haven't changed your exercise or eating habits, your body will go back to the way it was before. In other words, GlaxoSmithKline has you at $59.95 a pop for the rest of your life...unless you want to take a brisk 20 minute walk every day or so...which is free.5. Its possible side effects are really interesting...if you're into that sort of stuff!Let's keep it simple. If you decide to take this drug, you might want to purchase some more underwear or Depends diapers for adults. In other words, side effects include excessive flatulence, oily bowel movements which can be difficult to control, and anal leakage.My personal thoughts on the Alli diet pill are that it is a move by some big pharmaceutical companies to get their share of a HUGE market in over the counter weight loss products. It can help, but it is probably not worth the money.

Can We Reduce Bodyfat from Our Arms Without Affecting Other Areas of Your Body?

Hi DM,What should I do to reduce the size of my arms? By that I mean, arms only (without affecting other areas of my body). I do weights, but it only tones my arms, and the size doesn't change much, the 'flesh' is still there...MeiDear Mei,Spot reduction my dear.. is a myth. There is absolutely NO NATURAL WAY you can exercise your body so that it releases its fat stores from a particular area. Fat loss happens all over your body, and the places where your bodyfat deposits most easily (for women, these are the hips, thighs) would also be the place where there's more fat release when you exercise. Perhaps a little similar to the First-in-First-Out principle, where it can then be best described as the region where bodyfat is most deposited on your body would also be the region where it is most easily released. And yes, this simply means that the stubborn places where the fat 'just doesn't seem to go'.. would be that last to show results... but just keep persevering. You mentioned that you weight train.. so I'm sure you'll only reveal a more gorgeous you!I think the reason you're holding back from a weightloss plan is because you've sunk into a 'comfort zone' and are happy with how you look every other part of your body.. which is fantastic, don't get me wrong! But what I'm trying to tell you in your case, is not to be afraid of getting leaner. If you're unhappy with some extra bodyfat on various parts of your body.. cardio/dieting is the answer. Endless arm exercises or 100 million situps is not the answer (notice how packed the ab machines are at the gym? somebody should tell them they're better off concentrating that effort on cardio!!).If you're in great physical shape/exercise frequently (which I believe you are.. based on the positive way you talk about your own physique) .. i believe there's no way you can be unhappy with the outcome. Also, remember that your body is an amazing machine... it won't allow you to lose fat to an extent where you won't look good. The only thing that can happen.. is that you'll look how you're supposed to look like. Now how can that ever be bad? Also don't be afraid of training too hard, or getting arms that are 'too muscular', etc.. just give it your best.. simply because you don't have the hormones and the genetic capability to look like a freak.In periods of weightloss, I've personally experienced people coming up to me and saying that I've lost too much weight that I look sick, and that I shouldn't continue.. but weeks later.. they'd come up to me and say that I actually look much better. The problem with people, and sometimes we ourselves, is that we've grown accustomed to the imperfectness that surrounds us. Yes, nobody is perfect, but there is always room for improvement if you only try.If a friend who was overweight/or perhaps carrying a bit more bodyfat than he/she should be, but is still a healthy person, and if he/she were to ask me - am I fat? I would definitely tell them the truth. You should too, but in a tactful way. Honestly, if a few people from my past never told it to me in my face.. I don't think I'd be where I am today.So, my advice to you Mei, would be :1. Not to neglect your arm exercises, just keep doing what you're doing and at the same time, don't get obsessed about keeping count of rep ranges, etc.2. Bump up your cardio. Always go for a minimum of 40 minutes of if weightloss is your goal. Don't be afraid of fatloss or that you would lose what you already like about yourself.3. Watch what you eat! An awesome physique begins in the kitchen.. not at the gymSo, what you'll be doing is basically maintaining your weight training so that your body will hold on to its muscle mass (you need this for your arms to look femininely good too!), while reducing your calorie intake/bumping up your cardio to trigger fatloss in your body. Do it long enough.. and you will see results. I promise you.

The Fasting Month of Ramadhan - Keeping your Fitness Levels and Physique In Check

I've been asked many times over the past few weeks on the so called 'dilemma' of sticking to an exercise program/routine during the month of Ramadhan. For the benefit of those who aren't aware, Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Islamic Calendar and the entire month is spent fasting from dawn to dusk, by Muslims all over the world. Now, if you're seriously into keeping fit, exercising, and weight training especially, you would know how important your meals are.. and therefore the 'dilemma'. Many fitness enthusiasts, bodybuilders especially, go through a tough time this month because of the fear and reality of losing precious muscle mass because they're not able to eat as efficiently as they should.To Muslims out there.. while I read that there are many spiritual benefits to fasting during Ramadhan, I think that this is also a perfect time to exercise/practise your skills of 'mind over matter' by being in control of the body's hunger and appetite. Not easy, I know.. but I believe that a healthy soul/spirit can only help rejuvenate the body, and not bring harm. So, with this positive mindset of 'improvement' in mind, here are my thoughts on keeping your fitness levels in check during the fasting month of Ramadhan.Ramadhan is definitely not about losing weight, but weightloss can be a strong indication of whether you are fasting properly. I've heard of people who try to take the opportunity of this month to lose weight.. and although possible, I honestly believe that you'll have a better success rate and more effective/productive weightloss if you were to attempt it while youre not fasting. I've also heard stories of people who end up gaining weight in Ramadhan.. now how do you let that happen? Geez..What sort of fasting is it if you are eating the same amount/quantity in calories, than what you would be eating on any other day?You can easily use this calculator, (the Basal Metabolic Rate & the Harris Benedict Equation on the page) to roughly determine how many calories you burn a day :Now let's say that you end up with a daily calorie requirement of 1950 calories. When you eat less than 1950 calories per day, you WILL lose weight. When you eat more than 1950 calories, you WILL gain weight. The overall law of nature does not change : you need to eat less than what you need, to lose weight. Simple.When people fast, most people would be reducing their calories by the mere fact that they have only 4-5 hours to consume food, and they are unable to make up all the calories they would have eaten if they were capable of eating the full time that they were awake.However, what I believe can be common among those who fast today is that there is a tendency for people to gorge themselves with fried foods which contain huge amounts of calories as the person tries to 'make up' for any missed calories in those few short hours.Ask yourself right now.. are you going over your maintenance numbers or not? One obvious way to determine this without even having to whip out your calculator is if you are rubbing/patting your belly and having to loosen your belt after a meal.. you have obviously overeaten. Duhh!Also, during the beginning of a long fasting period, you may lose a lot of water (which is natural), and therefore important to keep in mind that this is not an excuse to only stuff your face with more food just because your weighing scale tells you that you are lighter... because you haven't lost any actual fat yet. It takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose one pound, and if you spread this out, that means if you eat 500 calories less than the maintenance you calculated above, you will lose one pound of body tissue in that week.Notice that I said body tissue, and not bodyfat. This is because when your body begins digesting itself, it rarely distinguishes between fat and muscle. This is also known as muscle catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle mass as a result of injury/immobilisation or poor dieting techniques. If you've ever been admitted/bedridden in the hospital for over a week.. you'll know what I'm talking about.You would be surprised to know that muscle is something your body desires to get rid of. Biologically speaking, its active tissue and it requires constant food and attention from your body to keep muscle tissue alive... in other words.. its quite a 'hassle' for your body to preserve muscle tissue, and your body would rather get rid of muscle than consume its own fat (which sits comfortably on your stomach or thighs or - insert problem fatty area here:_________... hehe - requiring very very little attention).So here, once again, 'reckless fasting' for an extended period of time affects your body because relaxing too much, sleeping all day, and being lazy through most of the day when fasting really worsens muscle loss.To maintain your physique and gains in a healthy manner, you simply need to send a signal to your body that the muscle you carry is NEEDED, and that signal is sent by remaining active. Yes, in other words, if you're a fitness enthusiast who wants to preserve your precious muscle mass during the fasting month.. you need to do some exercise at least. If you have a desk job, there is no need to go to extremes, but perhaps try some pushups, chin ups, or lift a few weights to send a 'signal' to your body that the muscle you're carrying.. is NEEDED.For the hardcore bodybuilder and the fitness enthusiast who wants to keep his/her physique in check, this means that while you won't be able to pack on any serious muscle mass or make any outstanding progress towards your goals, you will be able to MAINTAIN most of what you have gained so far. So use this month of fasting to get comfortable with your body, your food intake, and hopefully, though not 100 percent - you'll be able to maintain your fitness level at where it is today. Once the fasting month is over... then, you can go all out once again. Hitting the gym hard the day fasting is over may be a bit dissappointing as you will notice that you wont be in top form.. but it will only be a matter of days before your muscle memory kicks in, and you'll be exactly where you last stopped.How do I maintain a basic/maintenance-type exercise routine during the fasting month? I'd like to point you to a write up found in this month's newsletter at Fitness First, which can also be read at their website.Some points that I personally feel is great advice is: - Group Exercise classes as are a great way to stay motivated even when your schedule is not flexible. - If you can only fit a 45-minute workout into your busy Ramadhan schedule, then make it a concentrated 45 minutes.So people.. don't get lazy, or discouraged because it's the fasting month. Get smart, get active - and stay just the way you are. Happy fasting

Cardio - Tap Into Your Fat Stores and Start Burning Some Fat!

Note: This is for those who want to shed some excess pounds.Just a quick something I wanted to share as I believe that many people still struggle with weightloss even after adding in lotsa cardio to their exercise routine. Of course, any carefully planned out weightloss plan that involves cardio + calorie reduction will result in weightloss, but there are ways that we can actually enhance this process and burn more bodyfat instead. Personally, my body responds better when I practice the following.We all want to burn fat when we exercise, right? But what if I told you that your body's preferred energy source is not fat, but glycogen? (Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and releases glucose (sugar) into the blood when your body needs the energy. Glycogen is the PRIMARY SOURCE of stored fuel in the body). So how do you use your cardio more for burning fat rather than burning glycogen?The trick is, if you really want your body to tap more into your fat stores instead of glycogen for energy during your cardio, get your cardio first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, or right after weight training.The reason?Cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach will tap more into your bodyfat as your body is pretty much in a 'starved' state since you slept all night without any food. And weight training uses up stored glycogen so your body is forced to rely on stored fat for energy when you get your cardio. Just remember that even though FAT is your body's way of storing energy, it is NOT your body's preferred fuel source. Your body will always opt for the readily available glycogen stores when available.You gotta 'force' your body to really dig into its energy stores. Yeah it sounds crazy.. but give it a shot.. it works for me. A 15 minute warmup on a cardio machine before weight training is fine... but I wouldnt go all out and exhaust myself on cardio before I hit the weights. Save that for a more suitable time.Burn, Baby! Burn!

Eat The Right Foods If You Want To Stay In Shape

It can't be said enough, eating the right foods is the best way to lose weight. Forget about starving yourself, that's not going to work. And those weightloss food programs? They are expensive and a lot of those diet foods are actually not that good for you. But if you're set on losing the weight by signing up with one of those home-delivery weightloss programs, make sure you research the ingredients. You don't want to ingest foods that are loaded down with chemicals and preservatives. I'm not really sure how close to organic foods you get with these weightloss program diets. Knowledge is power, so do some research on just how healthy these food programs are before signing up. Ok? You want your food to be as natural and/or organic as possible. It boils down to developing a healthy food intake, a commitment to yourself, and staying clear of the wicked-whites, sugar, salt and flour. Did you know when we ingest too much sugar it breaks down the elastin in the skin, especially after age 35. Sugar reacts to our collagen and elastin in negative ways which will make us look older. Something to think about the next time you want to add sugar to your food.Choose healthy sugar substitutes like, Truvia, Stevia and ZSweet. These all natural sweeteners is nature's answer to those seeking a great tasting alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. The way we prepare food carries a big factor in whether you'll keep excess weight off too. Frying is a BIG no-no. The reactions in foods when they are fried can effect our health plus the coatings people usually dip their foods in before frying may taste really good but it's not really good for our bodies. Consider baking, broiling or boiling the foods you usually fry. You'll feel healthier for it and have a better check up next time. If you're not sure whether you have a thyroid problem check with your doctor, this can lead to weight gain if not kept under control. Otherwise there's no reason you can't keep a healthy weight by following these suggestions. As you get more familiar with what to eat and what not to eat, it'll become like second nature for you to choose the good-for-you-foods. It's not that hard once you've made up your mind, but you're going to have to want to participate in your life for this to work.That's right. If you change to eating healthy, first learn about those foods that burn fat, increases the metabolism. Foods that help prevent diseases. Don't eat fried foods. Eat brightly colored veggies and fruits. Stop eating at those fast food restaurants. Commit to an exercise routine, you won't only add years to your life span, you'll add healthy years. Of course this is not an easy task. So start with changing how you see yourself. Learn to love and respect yourself. It's also a good idea to keep a journal about yourself and to reference back to it. When I look at myself in the mirror, which I'm not particularly fond of doing, I see that I need to keep working at my body. I know I have a few more pounds to lose. I'm not bathing suit ready. LOL. But the difference is my attitude about myself has changed. I no longer look away in discouragement or disgust. I look and see improvement, some weight loss, I feel balanced and I smile. I tell myself I'm doing good, I'm feeling better about me, and that's what I hold on to, that keeps me motivated. Oh and if I were you, get into the habit of not using the bathroom scale (unless advised to do so by your doctor.) As you get into exercising regularly you'll start to build muscle, muscle weighs more than fat.So if you step on the scale and you've gained instead of lost or you haven't lost what you thought you should have but you've been working your food program and exercising regularly, don't despair. As your routine gets more involved and your body starts to respond to your new lifestyle, you'll see the changes in your body. It won't happen overnight, but it does come. Without a doubt, your body will change you will lose that excess weight. But remember, be fair to yourself, don't have unrealistic expectations about how long a period of time it should take. Experience shows when we commit to ourselves and we are determined to achieve what we have set out to do, things have a way of working in our favor. Persistence stamps out Impatience. So what ever you do, don't stop. It's when things seem their toughest that we must not give up. Enjoy the day!Winning The Weightloss Battle Free DownloadCopyright (c) 2011. Eat The Right Foods If You Want To Stay In Shape. Written by Sherrie Vitello All Rights Reserved.

Weight Loss Pills - Are They Worth the Hype?

A lot of people are faced with the issue of being overweight. And, when people are overweight, they are often looking for something quick to make a change. That often leads them to try quick fixes like diet pills. Do they work? And are they worth it?Weight loss pills tend to be a very tempting product to test, specially for individuals who don't have the time or does not want to give up time for physical exercise. Many brands state that they can do miracles for you. Several state that taking in their tablet would considerably increase the body's metabolism and essentially increase the amount of calories your body may burn. Additionally they claim that it can reduce someone's desire for food and turn excess fat into muscle. Although they're FDA approved, they don't necessarily guarantee that they are going to work on or for you.These weightloss supplements are not subject to rigorous tests how the FDA conducts on other drugs so they're sold above the counter with restricted security and study of effectiveness. It genuinely is a gamble to buy and use weight loss products as they are able to have unwanted effects that are worse than what they do for the whole physique. And, if you would appear closely and listen intently towards the advertisements of these pills, you'd see and hear some thing in typical. They all say that getting this item using the accurate diet and real physical exercise you will shed excess fat immediately. But wait a minute, isn't it true how the purpose people are tempted to buy weight loss pills is they don't want or does not have the time to eating habits and actual physical work out?The truth is there may be no overnight way of losing body weight unless you could possibly have surgery. Then, there is no certain, quick fire way of retaining weight away from your body. The genuine helpful, tried and tested strategy to maintain fit and balanced is even now really good old fashioned physical workout.You need to think about how much you want to change, and you need to be serious enough to make a lifestyle change. Simply taking pills may not work. Think along the lines of proper diet and exercise. Moderation they say is key, and eating less calories than you burn is too.

102 - Get Educated Not Medicated - The Key To An Achievable And Sustainable Healthy Life!

I am a qualified health and fitness professional in Australia and have been training and educating my clients how to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, many of us think we are healthy and well by our lifestyles. Yet of the many hundreds of clients I have seen in my profession, only a few "tell me their daily nutrition" and appear to be on track, however even fewer of these are telling me 100% of the daily nutrition and wonder weeks later why their health has decreased.Have you ever wondered why you seem to be unhealthy even though you think your eating the best food, or doing the hardest workouts in the gym. Many of us have been misinformed or are simply uneducated toward holistic nutrition.I received an article from a health professional who will remain nameless.The article began addressing the benefits of gastric balloning/ banding and liposuction. It sincerely vexes me that health professionals around the world are promoting artificial, short term, bandaid solution, so called remedies to thousands of people struggling with their weight. Why do we think that we can fix our health in such a short term. There are serious elements missing in the use of such methods and I am here to educate you further as to why you should address the root cause! Some doctors will make thousands of dollars commission by simply introducing the specific weightloss surgery model to clients.However I believe the article to be misinformation. I am sorry if it comes across offensive. I am passionate about root cause health! I have been educating and training many of clients some being seriously overweight people and I will insist on real nutritional education over drugs and weightloss surgery.You need to address what you eat, when you eat, how much you eat and most importantly where it comes from. Much of the food supplied to the western world is artificially produced. The soils are so nutritionally depleted. The growth method now includes toxic chemicals that are used to feed the soil, so the plants can absorb the nutrients needed to grow, so that our livestock can eat food to get fat!We want fat livestock and not fat humans...Yet we feed ourselves the meat and vegetables that grow on soils that have been made to artificially grow through toxic chemical. Compounds that have been created in labs!Let me ask you: do you know what these numbers mean?202, 211, 270, 330,160a, 415, 476, 509, 412, 401, 402these could be random numbers... Or they could be the additives and preservatives that are in your daily nutrition: like margarine! And believe me.. They go into the thousands. You will find numbers up in the 1400s.So do you know what your eating. Next time you go shopping look at the ingredients of what you buy on a daily basis and then research what you are eating. Its complex and sophisticated...And it's not good for us. These chemicals have been put in the foods to preserve the look, texture, taste.Unless you buy everything from an organically certifiable market place from toothpaste and shampoo to chicken and vegetables... You will be absorbing many of these numbers.I don't agree with any benefits gastric ballooning/ banding or suction has for the body. People will refuse to address the root cause of this worldwide obesity epidemic and so use expensive and artificial methods which are not long term solutions and can cause serious health issues later in life. I cannot and will not support any use of weightloss surgery and implore you to rethink your strategy. I believe many of us are living a bandaid solutions profession and i am appauled that such methods have become the norm.Why do health practitioners insist on delivering a second rate answer for first rate health...Human health...Not animals, however unknowledgeable humans may be, human life has never been so compromised and neglected as we progress scientifically. Man man drugs, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy. I'm not just talking about weightloss. I'm talking about overall health and wellness. I truly believe that to study as a nutritionist, dietitian or a nutritional psychologist in with possible other options like biochestry to become the new doctor. The new gp to go to when needing advice. When it comes to real, long term overall health and learning about our bodies internal function from a cellular level. We are made up of billions of cells, why don't we address our cellular health. They are after all the life source that has created us as humans.Some of our daily decisions are creating adverse effects on our health. A simple example below: a smoker who eats junk food and has a highly stressful job-if your a smoker, the chances of multiple health deficiencies and not even that distant in the future are increased far greater. Eg heart disease,
-if you don't eat healthy organic nutrition, the chance of multiple health deficiencies will be greatly increased. E.G increased fat (visceral) on the organs, high blood pressure
-if you have high blood pressure and don't address the root cause, the chances of multiple health deficiences are far greater.E.G heart attack, stroke...We are living in a quick fix society and are unwilling to address the reasons/root cause for our inaccuracies of health!Take note...And take caresincerely,